Yukinoshita Begins
by Some Chinese Guy
Summary: It's not who she is underneath but what she does that defines her.


"Good day to you, Hiratsuka-sensei!"

"Yeah, same to you. Now get to the classroom."

I love these days of the week when I get to teach in 1-J. There's no way to describe that feeling. After a whole friggin' day of sleeping lazy bums, cellphone-texting lazy bums, manga-reading lazy bums and just plain lazy bums I come to the place. At this promised place await polite, well-read, smart, classy schoolgirls. They greet you politely, pay attention to what you get to say and correctly answer the questions. After a single class of this pure bliss, teaching the lazy bums for the rest of the day suddenly isn't a burden anymore.

And to think other people can only watch MariMite for that. Poor bastards.

This idyllic picture has couple of exceptions, though.

Exception number one are the five boys that do exist in Class J. They're boys, their grades are good, they all wear glasses and have nerdy haircuts and… and… and that's it. Not even that much for an exception, come to think about it.

Exception number two just walked into the class after nodding curtly to me. Hello to you too, Yukinoshita.

_Yukino_ Yukinoshita. I have to constantly remind myself about it.

_...When I was checking the list of newcomers last April, I stumbled upon familiar last name and couldn't help but hold some expectations. Really, anyone would- I've just said my farewells to one Haruno Yukinoshita that year. Class J's representative, all-around ace, born leader and social butterfly. Fifteen minutes of unassuming chat and she effortlessly charms you… into anything, that is. Sweetness didn't forbid her from building the vast network of connections, acquiring some serious power behind the scenes and gleefully pushing people's buttons when she needed. She'd put Richelieu and Mazarin to shame, and she still was the school's idol despite all that. _

_Humans are weird and scary creatures…_

_xxx_

I have finished writing home assignments on the blackboard and turned to take a look at the Class J. Here she was in the middle row, dutifully and seriously taking notes, her pose so textbook and proper I had the urge to take a photo. Sometimes she elegantly brushed off a stray lock of her ridiculously long hair, then continued writing. This was one of those rare moments when she did look like Haruno.

_...Haruno had regularly told us about her "cute little sister". Three years younger, super-pretty and very smart and so delicate and so on. After all that I was expecting a little Haruno 2.0, or a Hinata Hyuga-like ball of shyness, or a Mikuru-style moe overdose…_

The bell rang, signalling the start of a lunch break. Some left for the cafeteria. Others unpacked their bento boxes, moved the desks together and gathered to chat. I smelled some reeeally delicious stuff and remembered that I was hungry too. Time to go back to the teachers' lounge and taste my long-awaited cup of ramen.

… I know, I know, not healthy and stuff. Cut me some slack, will ya?

At the classroom exit I bumped into Yukinoshita with a small food box in hands. Third option, I see. Home-made lunch and eating somewhere out there.

"_Yukinoshita-san, will you go out with me?" The boy (from 1-B, I think) said it rather firmly and confidently. Like "trained with a mirror for an hour" confidently._

"_What for?" she asked in turn. _

"_U-um… I… l-like… you..."_

"_You don't know me."_

"_I'll learn about you! E-everything! It'll work...out..." Poor fellow was visibly shrinking with every word._

"_That's creepy. Stop saying such things to women. And sorry, but not happening."_

_I got a strange feeling her replies were prepared in advance. No, like... honed after many rejected confessions. Yeah, that's more like it._

_Yukinoshita, you know, girls are supposed to be more delicate about such matters. Delicate, get it?_

'_Delicate', huh..._

_Haruno was only two-thirds right. Yukino Yukinoshita was pretty, smart and blunt as a club. _

_Everyone knows what to do when life gives them lemons. Now what should you do when life gives you an overly moody Chikane Himemiya, I wonder..._

"Yukinoshita-san!" As I headed out of the class, I heard someone calling her.

"Yes, what is it, Endou-san?"

"Umm, that's a bit out of nowhere, but can I ask you for help?"

Slight pause.

"I don't mind. What's the nature of your request?"

"N-nature… uhh... I'm not good with chemistry, so maybe you could explain..."

"I can do that. Do note, though, that it will be quite lengthy. Do you have time after classes?"

"Yes."

"Wait for me in the library then..."

…"_Yukinoshita-san, you're quite smart, right?"_

"_That I am. What of it?"_

"_Can you help me with math? I really want to pass the exam!"_

"_But the exams are in two days-"_

"_But you're smart, you should know how to explain!"_

"_What you want is impossible in such a short term-"_

"_You afraid or what?"_

_Pause._

"_Fine. I'll do what I can."_

"_Okay! See you in the library..."_

_xxx_

"Oh my god, I got sixty! Sixty, Yukinoshita-san! Thank you!" Endou tried to hug Yukinoshita in excitement, but the latter dodged her.

"You're… welcome. But I have to remind that you still have to continue studying by yourself. You can't just stop halfway."

"Ehhh, like, really? You're such a downer! Oh anyway, thanks a bunch!"

I watched the conversation from afar. Good ending for a change, it seemed.

It was the end of April already. No normal classes, just tests, tests and some more tests. Also double amount of work for the teaching staff, but who cares.

I put away the last goddamn paper from my work-stack, stretched, craned my neck and looked outside.

"Weather seems nice… Maybe I'd go grab some fresh air... "

_..."My score raised by just ten points! Why couldn't you teach me better?!"_

"_Ten points is quite a sound result for someone like you given so little time. You have to start studying properly way earlier."_

"_But you do it all the time!"_

"_You seem to have the wrong idea of me. I don't. I have to study for the whole semester. Just like everyone else-"_

"_Don't lie to me, you haughty bitch! You have it easy and just don't want to share your secret! School idol my ass!"_

_Yukinoshita took a deep sigh._

"_I suspect you are seriously looking for a magic pill to have it easy. The answer for you and everyone like you is: there's none. Everyone has to make efforts and plan in advance."_

_Her tone became more angry. _

"_Do you really think I can just learn it all in two days? Do you really think I breeze through my classes? How about you stop blaming others for your flaws and weaknesses? I did help you study and your result is higher. If you want to make it as high as you want, you have to work, work and, above else, work."_

_Silence ensued. The other girl was gaping while Yukinoshita composed herself, calmed down and went to her seat. _

_That was the first request Yukinoshita accepted. That also was her first defeat. I'm not talking about the effect on that girl's studies, but more on the Yukinoshita's resulting public image. Though, honestly, one couldn't accuse her of cultivating one in the first place…_

I closed the roof door, approached the fence and gladly inhaled the salt-flavored air. All's right with the world. This sea, this cityscape, this sunlight-filled roof, this black-haired girl sitting nearby…

Oh that's where you are taking your lunch usually, miss School Idol.

Yukinoshita stopped eating and eyed me cautiously. Kinda like a stray cat caught off-guard.

"Sorry for bothering."

She hesitantly nodded, but didn't resume lunch. Instead she looked at the city behind the fence. Uncomfortable around people while eating, huh...

It would be best to just leave. Which I was going to do, but out of some impulse I opened my mouth again.

"Hey, Yukinoshita… I always kinda wondered why you constantly take others' requests. They almost always don't turn out the way people want and then they blame you for that every single time."

She looked at me with bewilderment.

"Why… are you interested in that all of a sudden?"

That's what I was asking myself right now. It's not like bugging people you barely know with fundamental questions is good etiquette in any culture… but yeah, I realized I'd like… no, wanted to know that.

"I… you know, I like you determination. And your honesty, and your strange desire to help people too-"

"Hiratsuka-sensei, you sound awfully like you're hitting on me..."

I almost dropped my cigarette.

"Eh?.. Ugh, Yukinoshita, what was that? And stop interrupting elders when they talk to you."

"And now you use your age to put me down."

"Oh you little… oh well. Stop interrupting anyone talking to you, for that matter." I sighed. "I kinda see why people prefer to admire you from afar. You and Haruno are like night and day".

She frowned briefly.

_...She visibly shuddered, and in her eyes, for the tiniest fraction of a second, I saw frozen desert. That stuck-up sophomore from Student Council then went on and on about Haruno being their lifesaver, and Yukinoshita curtly replied just often enough to not be rude..._

"But still, Yukinoshita. I really like that in you. No matter what happens, you never give up. It's just… how should I put it… You take too much on yourself."

Yukinoshita kept quiet.

"They seek out my help, so I can't refuse." She finally said. "Even if they don't get what they want, at least they'll have some food for thought about their flaws."

Huh.

"That's quite headstrong and noble, I'll give you that. But you'll burn out. Quickly."

"I don't mind."

"Oh sure, no one minds. Especially those who want you to help. Won't be any easier in the end when you do burn out. Not 'if'. 'When'."

"Why are you even bothered by this?"

I meekly scratched my head.

"Well, how should I put it… You know, charming people are easy to like, easy to talk, easy to be with and stuff. But the world needs more than charm. It also needs someone with a willpower and a strong sense of justice. You're not the easiest person to deal with, even though you are way kinder than you look. But it's just like that movie said. It's not who you are underneath but what you do that defines you."

She stared at me, puzzled.

"Sensei, what's with this stupid teenage blabber… also, what movie?"

Hey, that was such an elegant reference! Damn you…

"Tell you what, come meet me after Golden week. Won't be too troublesome, promise."

"I doubt it, but sure."

"Cool."

_xxx_

And so it's middle of May now. Me and Yukinoshita were standing before the unused classroom in the club wing. Empty nameplate, huge pile of spare desks and chairs. That's it.

"Is that your supposed solution, Hiratsuka-sensei?"

"Yep. Effective today, you're a member of the Service Club. The club's purpose is fulfill the requests for whoever approaches the club members. I'm your advisor and the middleman for those people. Thought you'd need someone like me to sort them out. And also someone to help, obviously."

"I don't mind, but… the description sounds very abstract and general."

"So were your requests before. The only change is now you come here after classes and spend time in a club."

Yukinoshita quietly stood at the entrance for a while, then warily stepped in, eyeing the interior. She stood in the middle of the room for some time, thinking about something. Finally she nodded to herself, approached the window and opened it.

"It's rather dusty here. I think I'll need to clean."

I smiled.

"Need a hand?"

"I'll be fine, the advisor doesn't have to-"

"Be right back with mops and water."

"-sensei!"

_xxx_

'Youth is a lie. It is nothing but evil.

Those of you who rejoice in youth are perpetually deceiving yourselves and those around you. You perceive everything about the reality surrounding you in a positive light. Even life-threatening mistakes will be remembered as single page proofs of your youth...'

I kept on reading the essay, and wide stupid grin on my face was becoming more wide and even more stupid. So much sharpness, wit and sarcasm invested into one short essay defending one's own desire not to enjoy life...

That's it.

First client secured.

_A/N: Not a Batman crossover. Sorry 'bout that._


End file.
